Middle East war news – Russia to ban gasoline exports from April 1 amid West Asia crisis, here’s why

The Russian government announced on Friday that it will ban gasoline exports starting April 1 to prioritise domestic supplies and stabilise fuel prices. The decision comes amid ongoing instability in the global energy market caused by the US-Iran conflict in the Middle East.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said the crisis is causing significant fluctuations in global oil and petroleum product prices, but demand for Russian energy abroad remains strong. The announcement followed a meeting chaired by Novak to review the domestic petroleum product market.

During the meeting, emphasis was placed on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s objective to prevent domestic fuel prices from exceeding forecasted levels. The Ministry of Energy reported that oil refining rates remain consistent with March 2025 levels, ensuring stable domestic supplies.

Industry companies confirmed sufficient reserves of gasoline and diesel fuel, alongside high refinery capacity utilisation to meet internal demand. “Particular attention was paid to the objective set by the Russian President of preventing domestic fuel prices from rising above forecasts,” the government statement said.

Following discussions, Novak instructed the Ministry of Energy to draft a resolution banning gasoline exports from April 1 to stabilise prices and guarantee priority supply to the local market.

Russia has exported around 120,000-170,000 barrels of gasoline per day historically. The announcement comes as a setback for countries such as China, Turkiye, Brazil, Africa, and Singapore, which are among the primary buyers of Russian oil products. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas reassured that the country maintains adequate stocks of crude oil, petrol and diesel despite disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), said refineries are operating at full or above capacity, and domestic LPG production has increased by around 20 per cent.

Sharma noted that crude oil, LPG and LNG supplies were affected, and international prices have risen. However, the government has implemented multiple measures to manage the situation and ensure stability in domestic supply. “As of today, we have sufficient crude inventories, and supplies for the next two months have already been secured,” she said.

The developments in Russia and India highlight ongoing efforts to manage fuel supplies amid global energy market uncertainties caused by the Middle East crisis.